Has anyone attended the Galen Institute for the R.N. program?

Redzie · Aug 12, 2006

I'm older and completely changing careers, so I've done a lot of research to enter into nursing school. Galen seems like a good school, although expensive. More importantly, this school is not accredited. You can attend the first year for your LPN, and the 2nd year for your RN. You'll come out with an associates degree. Since this degree is not transferable, You could not go on to get your bachelors. As a result, you would have to decide now if you plan to further your education. What I found in my research was if you ever want to be in nursing management, you MUST have a BSN. If you plan on being a staff nurse forever, you'd be fine as an ASN. The school is pricey - about 30k including books for the 2 years. 15k for 1 year.

Are you talking about the Florida location?

I myself am going to attend the LPN program for the first year, then I'll do the bridge program (LPN to RN) over at St. Pete College- no waiting or selection process. This way, I can work as an LPN while I continue on.

If you start out at St. Pete College, once you complete your pre-req's, there IS a "selection" process based on GPA, what courses you took, and how many. I know a few gals that are finished with their pre-req's and have been waiting each semester because other poeple have better GPA's.

If you want to know more, send me a private message.

NRSNFL · Aug 17, 2006

Redzie-

I too am doing something similar because I can't rely on "when/if" I will get in....however I'm doing the LPN program at either PHCC or PTEC, which is much cheaper than Galen combined and still completely transferrable to SPC. Additionally, PTEC has a new semester starting in Jan and no there is no waiting list. Just back ground check, proof of your education and a NET test which I already took for PHCC and scored really well on. Might be soemthing else to consider

land64shark · Aug 18, 2006

A word of warning on bridging over to RN from LPN at SPC. I too was looking into that route by first getting my LPN from PTEC. Then I found out that the bridge program is THREE semesters. The entire ASN program is only 4 semesters. That took a lot of luster off of that idea. (Fortunately, I got in SPC's RN program with the selective admissions last January right before I was to start at PTEC for the LPN.)

If you actually have a choice, why would you want to pay so much more to go to Galen? Good luck with whatever you decide.

sunbeach73 · Aug 18, 2006

I went to Galen. In my opinion, if you do go to the LPN program try to go to the day classes. I was in the night class and feel like I didn't get the education I paid for. The day classes have the awesome teachers who have been there for years and really know their stuff.

NRSNFL · Aug 18, 2006

A word of warning on bridging over to RN from LPN at SPC. I too was looking into that route by first getting my LPN from PTEC. Then I found out that the bridge program is THREE semesters. The entire ASN program is only 4 semesters. That took a lot of luster off of that idea. (Fortunately, I got in SPC's RN program with the selective admissions last January right before I was to start at PTEC for the LPN.)
If you actually have a choice, why would you want to pay so much more to go to Galen? Good luck with whatever you decide.

Landshark-

I appreciate the warning, but any smart student would be putting eggs in EVERY basket. I've applied to SPC's spring semester, PHCC's spring semester, PHCC's LPN spring semester and lastly PTEC's LPN program for this spring. I work full time and I will say that the LPN hours are much more condusive to my department at Allkids.......also, that one extra semester I'm sure won't kill me. But none the less, ideally I'd like to do SPC's program and I believe we (at allkids) are negotiating a contract to use a certain number of spots for employees who have applied to the program, but we'll see. You applied when it wasn't that competitive...this past semester you had to have OVER a 3.8 with every class completed. So we'll see....but I'm no fool. That's for sure, you really can't do this whole nursing school process and be one. You'll be stuck that is for sure.